Ezra 1
LORD appoints Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem verse 1- 4
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia
that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah
might be FULFILLED – the LORD stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus king of Persia – that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom – and put it also
in writing saying
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia
The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the
kingdoms of the earth
And HE hath charged me to build HIM a house at Jerusalem
which is in Judah
Who is there among you of all HIS people?
his God be with him – and let him go up to Jerusalem
which is in Judah – and build the house of the
LORD God of Israel (HE is the God)
which is in Jerusalem
And whosoever remains in any place where he sojourned
let the men of his place help him with silver – gold
goods – beasts – besides the freewill offering
for the house of God that is in Jerusalem
LORD raises spirit of Jewish people verse 5- 6
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin – and the priests
and the Levites – with all them whose spirit God had raised
to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem
And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of
silver – gold – goods – beasts – precious things
besides all that was willingly offered
Cyrus gives items Nebuchadnezzar took verse 7- 8
Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD
which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem
and had put them in the house of his gods
Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath
the treasurer – and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar
the prince of Judah
List of items given to Sheshbazzar verse 9- 11
And this is the number of them – thirty charges of gold
a thousand chargers of silver – nine and twenty knives
thirty basins of gold – silver basins of a second sort
four hundred and ten and other vessels a thousand
All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred
All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were
brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing saying (5782 “stirred up” [‘uwr] means to cause to be agitated, excited, or roused, to awake, to cause to awake, alert, or to act in an aroused manner)
DEVOTION: The LORD is not limited in HIS actions. HE can cause even pagan kings to do what HE wants done at any given time. Too often we think that the LORD can only work in the lives of those who are followers of HIM. This is not true.
God works through those who are followers of HIM and through those who are not followers of HIM. Throughout the Bible we see HIM working in the lives of those who are not followers of HIM. HE uses those who are not thinking of HIM as their God.
There are people who are not followers of HIM that can give us good advice even though they don’t know that HE is using them for HIS glory. Here we have a pagan king who is going to send the children of Israel back to the Promised Land with all the things taken from the House of God.
HE wants HIS people to worship HIM in a way that is pleasing to HIM. This will include all the furnishings of the Temple. This king is giving all the things taken from the Temple and allowing them to return them to the Temple.
God wants us to worship HIM in spirit and in truth today. HE wants us to know that many churches are not worshiping HIM on Sunday. They are gathering to just feel good about religion.
Cyrus had his own worship of false gods but he was used of the LORD to reestablish the worship in the Temple again in Jerusalem. HE can cause even pagan kings to understand that worship of HIM is important.
CHALLENGE: God’s people need to understand that the LORD is in control of the whole world even those who are not genuine followers of HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 Who is there among you of all HIS people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (HE is the God) which is in Jerusalem. (1129 “build” [banah] means make, rebuild, establish, erect, or construct.)
DEVOTION: The first Temple was destroyed. The children of Israel were in captivity. The moved from kingdom to kingdom as one was conquered by another. The Babylonians took the tribe of Judah into captivity after the tribe of Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Now the kingdom of Persia had taken them over after conquering the Babylonians.
Cyrus was the king of Persia who gave them permission to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the Temple that was destroyed. He thought this was a charge from the LORD. He thought that Jehovah was the God of land of Judah and he wanted to make sure there was a place to worship for HIM.
So he ordered those who were part of the tribes of Israel to return to the land and rebuild the Temple. This would be the second Temple. The children of Israel had been in captivity for seventy years as Jeremiah had prophesied because of their sin. Now the LORD was going to keep HIS promise to have them return to the land HE had given them. God always keeps HIS promises.
We need to realize that we are promised an abundant life here now as we are obedient to HIM and a place in heaven for eternity. HE is preparing the place now and will return when it is the time set for the end of this present world.
Our responsibility now is to “occupy” until HE returns. We are to be building HIS church which HE promises the “gates of hell” will not prevail upon in our present world.
There are times when it seems like the church is losing to the world but that is just wrong thinking. We have the power of God still at our disposal if we are willing to walk by faith and still be a witness for HIM.
CHALLENGE: We are to be building just like the children of Israel were going to build a new Temple for worship we need to build the LORD’S church as a place of worship in our local communities.
______________________________________________________
: 5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. (5782 “raised” [‘uwr] means to open the eyes, wake up, or stir up.)
DEVOTION: The LORD told Jeremiah that the Promised Land needed seventy years to celebrate her Sabbaths. The children of Israel had forsaken the LORD. They had disobeyed HIS commandments. HE had sent prophets to warn them the judgment was coming but they mocked HIS prophets. Now they had paid the consequences for their sins.
The LORD stirred up the heart of Cyrus to build a temple in Jerusalem. Was Cyrus a true believer? Did the LORD speak to someone who did believe in HIM? His language seems to imply that he was a believer. Not only did the LORD stir up Cyrus, but HE stirred up the hearts of the children of Israel.
They were willing to return to Jerusalem and build a temple. Cyrus gave them all the vessels that Nebuchadnezzar took from it when he destroyed it.
The next chapter gives long list of individuals who were willing. The willingness came from the Spirit of the LORD working in the spirit of the individuals HE wanted to return to the Promised Land. The LORD communicates with the human spirit of HIS children.
We have to test the spirits but we also need to listen to the Holy Spirit when HE talks with us regarding our actions. There are two types of sins mentioned in the New Testament: the sins of commission and the sins of omission.
The sins of commission are the ones we do and know that are wrong. The sin of omission is not doing what the Holy Spirit tells us to do.
Even Cyrus, a heathen king, heard the Spirit talking to him. He acknowledged that the LORD had given him all the kingdoms of the earth. He realized that he didn’t do it on his own.
Are we listening to the Holy Spirit in our prayer times and in our times of reading the Word of God? What is the Holy Spirit stirring us up to do for HIM? Are we following HIS leading?
Some people were stirred to give a freewill offering to help the work move forward for the LORD. They were not leaving the land of captivity but were supporting those who were.
CHALLENGE: Realize what the LORD is telling you to do. Then do it. Only then with the work of the LORD move forward.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside al that was willingly offered. (5068 “willingly” [nadab] means to make a voluntary decision, contribution, freely to give something or do something, decide voluntarily, to volunteer, or to offer free-will offerings.)
DEVOTION: Here we have echoes of Egypt. The children of Israel were not liked in Egypt but the Egyptians gave them things, because of the plagues and they wanted to get rid of them before more bad things happened to them. In this case they were leaving under fire but now we have a second time the children of Israel are in captivity and the king gives a decree.
The neighbors of the Israelites gave a willing offering to them to help them build the Temple again. It seems that there were three offerings given at this time. The children of Israel gave a freewill offering to those who were going to return to Jerusalem because they were not going with them. The neighbors gave a offering because the king had told them too. And thirdly the king himself gave them the things that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the first Temple that was destroyed.
The LORD provided for HIS people as they left captivity for the second time. The first time it was not a captivity to begin with but after Joseph died the Pharaoh of Egypt didn’t know him but used the people as slaves because it was convenient. Here we have them in captivity because of sin.
So they were given forgiveness by the LORD and here we have another time that they can chose to follow the LORD or not. It is a fresh beginning for them to use for the glory of the LORD.
We have fresh beginnings each day too given to us by the LORD. We can confess our sin daily or we can see the LORD chastening us for our disobedience. HE wants us to be obedient servants who can be used of HIM for HIS glory in our world. HE wanted the children of Israel to set an example for the world to follow. We are to set an example for those around us to follow if we are good witnesses for HIM.
CHALLENGE: Our purpose is not to ask our neighbors for money to build a Temple but to ask them to consider becoming a follower of Jesus Christ.
______________________________________________________________
: 7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods. (430 “gods” [’elohiym] means a supernatural being worshipped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force, non-gods, ghost, heavenly being, or godlike ones.)
DEVOTION: Here is a heathen king given the articles back to the children of Israel that a previous heathen nation had taken from the Temple. God provides for HIS people again as they leave a nation that is not theirs to go to reestablish a nation that the LORD had given them but they had not followed HIM properly, so that, they were judge for period of seventy years.
God’s Temple vessels were put in a heathen temple to a false god for those seventy years. The king of Babylon had used these vessels during a party and the LORD judged him for doing it. The nation fell to this present nation.
Cyrus might have known the history of the occasion and didn’t want it to happen to him. He thought it best to give the vessels back to the children of Israel to take back to Jerusalem rather than face the same judgment that the king of Babylon faced.
We need to realize that the LORD will always take care of HIS people in HIS timing and in HIS way. It happened then and it continues to happen now. We are under HIS care and provision whether we realize it or not.
HE has given us many promises and one of them is to provide for our daily needs. We are to pray for them bur HE has promised that if our relationship with HIM is good HE will make sure that HE provides in HIS way and in HIS timing. We are not to demand things of God or claim things from God in a wrong manner because that is not how HE works.
CHALLENGE: We are to come humbly to HIM and then HE provides what HE thinks is necessary. Our attitude does make a difference to HIM.
_____________________________________________________________________
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORD verse 3, 5, 7
House of God verse 4
Priests verse 5
Levites verse 5
Strengthened their hands with offerings verse 6
List of things given verse 9- 11
Chargers of gold – 30
Chargers of silver – 1,000
Knives – 29
Thirty basins of gold
Basins of silver – 410
Other vessels – 1,000
Vessels of gold and silver =5,400
______________________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 1
Jeremiah verse 1
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1- 3, 5, 7
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 2- 5
LORD God of heaven verse 2
House of the LORD verse 3, 7
LORD God of Israel verse 3
House of God verse 4
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Cyrus – king of Persia verse 1- 4, 7, 8
LORD stirred up
Proclamation
He had all the kingdoms of the earth
charged to build Temple
returned vessel from Temple
Mithredath – treasurer
Nebuchadnezzar verse 7
House of his gods
Babylon verse 11
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
False gods verse 7
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Charges verse 2
LORD with HIS people verse 3
Freewill offering verse 4, 6
Raises human spirit verse 5
Strength verse 6
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiah verse 1
Jerusalem verse 3- 5, 7, 11
Chief of the fathers of Judah verse 5
Sheshbazzar – prince of Judah verse 8, 11
List of Temple items given back to Israel verse 9-11
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
________________________________________________________________
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church, please use that method. Thank you.
__________________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
The response of the people (5) is followed by a note (6) which is meant to remind us of the exodus from Egypt. The financial support given by all their neighbours includes not only that from Jews who decided not to return (cf. v 4), but also from non-Jews. The language of this verse recalls the theme of the ‘despoiling of the Egyptians’ in Ex. 3:21–22; 11:2; 12:35–36. This is the first of a number of such allusions to the exodus which together invite the reader to view in a new light what otherwise might have been written off as an obscure and insignificant event within the history of the Persian empire. To the eye of faith, this return is no less momentous than the events surrounding the very birth of the nation of Israel itself. It was equally an act of divine deliverance and even of national rebirth. (Williamson, H. G. M. (1994). Ezra and Nehemiah. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., pp. 425–426). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.)
_____________________________________________________________
1:6 “All their neighbors assisted them” does not seem to have in mind primarily their Jewish neighbors, as was the case in the decree (v. 4). Throughout the book the author included motifs of the exodus. Here he remembered how the Israelites borrowed goods from their neighbors when they left Egypt and later gave abundant freewill offerings for the tabernacle. The people gave or “loaned” to the Israelites so much that Exod 12:36 says they “plundered” the Egyptians. This aspect of the exodus is also remembered in Israel’s poetry: “He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold” (Ps 105:37). As has been true throughout history, God moves people to provide for his work. (Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 72). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
__________________________________________________________
An even more amazing prophecy is that of Isaiah who, one hundred and fifty years earlier, actually named Cyrus as the instrument God would use to bring about the restoration of his people: ‘Who says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be built,’ and to the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid’ ” ’ (Isa. 44:28). (Williams, P. (2006). Opening up Ezra (p. 17). Leominster: Day One Publications)
____________________________________________________________
Ver. 6.—All they that were about them. I. e. all their neighbours. Strengthened their hands. This is the literal rendering. The margin gives the right meaning—“helped them.” With precious things. Migdanôth, a rare word, only used here, in Gen. 24:53, and in 2 Chron. 21:3; always connected with silver and gold; derived from meged, which means “precious.” Besides all that was willingly offered (comp. ver. 4). The gold, silver, precious things, &c. previously mentioned were free gifts to individual Jews, and were additional to certain offerings which were intrusted to them for conveyance to Jerusalem. On the value attached by the Persians to offerings made in Jerusalem to Jehovah, see below, ch. 6:10, and 7:17. (Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Ezra (pp. 8–9). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
_____________________________________________________________
1:6 All those about them. A basic similarity to the Exodus is seen throughout Ezra and Nehemiah. One can hear faint echoes of the Egyptians supplying treasures in order to provide splendor for the tabernacle (cf. Ex 11:2; 12:35, 36). Here other nations around Israel are called to contribute. They were assisted by some of their captive countrymen, who had been born in Babylon and chose to remain, and perhaps by some Babylonians and Assyrians who were favorably disposed to Cyrus and/or the Jews. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ezr 1:6). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
____________________________________________________________
God not only stirred the spirit of Cyrus to grant freedom to the captives (1:1), but He also stirred the hearts of the Jews to give them the desire to return to Judah (v. 5). “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). The same God who ordains the end (the rebuilding of the temple) also ordains the means to the end, in this case, a people willing to go to Judah and work.
The treasure (Ezra 1:5–11). Not only did the travelers carry their own personal belongings, but they carried 5,400 gold and silver temple vessels which had been taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8–17; (Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be heroic (p. 15). Colorado Springs, CO: ChariotVictor Pub.)
______________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
_______________________________________________________________
Authentic Christianity
| Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. Matthew 5:12I applied for a position in a Christian organization years ago and was presented with a list of legalistic rules having to do with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and certain forms of entertainment. “We expect Christian behavior from our employees” was the explanation. I could agree with this list because I, for reasons mostly unrelated to my faith, didn’t do those things. But my argumentative side thought, Why don’t they have a list about not being arrogant, insensitive, harsh, spiritually indifferent, and critical? None of these were addressed. Following Jesus can’t be defined by a list of rules. It’s a subtle quality of life that’s difficult to quantify but can best be described as “beautiful.” The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–10 sum up that beauty: Those who are indwelt by and dependent on the Spirit of Jesus are humble and self-effacing. They’re deeply touched by the suffering of others. They’re gentle and kind. They long for goodness in themselves and in others. They’re merciful to those who struggle and fail. They’re single-minded in their love for Jesus. They’re peaceful and leave behind a legacy of peace. They’re kind to those who misuse them, returning good for evil. And they’re blessed, a word that means “happy” in the deepest sense. This kind of life attracts the attention of others and belongs to those who come to Jesus and ask Him for it. (By David H. Roper (Our Daily Bread) ___________________________________________________________________ |
Jesus is transfigured as a validation of His identity as the Deity and Messiah.
INSIGHT
The Transfiguration gives us an exciting glimpse into our resurrection life. From it, we may learn several things. Our physical bodies may be startlingly brilliant and beautiful, as we witness the amazing appearance of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. We may know each other automatically since the disciples seemed to recognize Moses and Elijah without instruction. We apparently will not be subject to the physical limitations of nature since Moses and Elijah appeared and disappeared. What a joy awaits us in eternity!
(Quiet Walk)
Esther 9
With the king’s permission, the Jews are allowed to protect themselves.
INSIGHT
National salvation is culminated for the Jews. When the fateful day arrives, the Jews throughout the empire stand on the defense. In the provinces, 75,000 of their assailants fall–500 of them in the capital of Susa alone. Among these are the 10 sons of Haman. A divine purpose runs through all human governments and events; and as God exalted Mordecai to honor and glory, so will He work for those who love Him. And so, ultimately, will He put all enemies under His feet.
____________________________________________________________
HOLY HANDS
I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.1 Timothy 2:8
There are conditions that govern the activity called prayer. One condition is that we are to lift up “holy hands.” We are not now concerned about the question of posture in prayer, nor to indicate that the Jews generally stood and held up their hands to God when they prayed. We shall not tarry with the fact that it was a Jewish custom to wash their hands before they took part in an act of worship. That was merely the external symbol used to emphasize the principle that the apostle is anxious to stress.
The clean hands, the “holy hands,” are indicative of and represent a holy character. That must ever be the first question in any approach to God. “Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). “Thou [God] art of purer eyes than to behold evil” and cannot “look on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:13). There is nothing that is so utterly contrary to the whole teaching of the Bible as the assumption that anyone at any time without any conditions whatsoever may approach God in prayer. Indeed, the first effect of sin, and the main result of the Fall, was to break the communion that obtained between God and man. Man, by sin, has forfeited his right approach to God, and indeed were he left to himself he never would approach God. But God in His wondrous grace has made a way for man to approach Him. That is the explanation of all the teaching concerning offerings and sacrifices in the Old Testament, as it is also the explanation of the ceremony of the Tabernacle and the Tem ple and the Aaronic priesthood. Without these things men could not approach God. We can commune with Him only in this way and according to His dictates. There is no access otherwise.
A Thought to Ponder: We can commune with God only according to His dictates.
(From Why Does God Allow War? pp. 25-26, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
_______________________________________________________________
Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
The doctrine of verbal inspiration implies that not only are the words of Scripture inspired, but the very order in which they appear is also inspired. Study by commentators and translators have rightly noted that a change in the order of the words would at times change the meaning or emphasis of a passage. This phenomenon is often seen in the order in which the various names of Christ appear. By noting this order, one may sometimes gain new insight into a passage.
While the name Jesus, alone, normally appears in the gospels and the book of Acts, the compound name Jesus Christ appears on occasion. Interestingly, the same compound name is used exclusively by the disciples John and Peter in their letters, and by James and Jude, the brothers of our Lord. Of course, these men knew Him first by His human name, Jesus, and only fully comprehended the fact that He was the Christ (meaning “the Anointed,” or “the Messiah”) after His resurrection and ascension.
Paul, on the other hand, first encountered Christ in all His glory on the road to Damascus. Perhaps, as a consequence, he frequently reversed the order, speaking of Christ Jesus, although he used both orders many times.
The reason for this choice of order perhaps can best be illustrated in Philippians 2:5-11. In verse 5, Paul described the Anointed One, who first emptied Himself of certain aspects of His deity to take on human form. Therefore, Paul used the name Christ Jesus. In verse 11, however, the order is reversed. In this case, as in our text, the movement is from humanity to glory. In one, the glory of the risen Savior is emphasized; in the other, the glory that we shall share with Him. This glory is assured us through His victory. JDM
_______________________________________________________________
GOD IS JUDGE
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. Hebrews 12:26
What does the writer to the Hebrews mean when he says, “Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:26-27)? Well, he is here contrasting the old dispensation with the new. He is writing to Hebrew Christians, and he is reminding them how the law was given to them by God through Moses on that great and famous occasion on Mount Sinai. He says, “Look back at that, consider that,” and he gives them this tremendous description of it.
He says, “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest. And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, and if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake).” But you have not come to that, he says; “But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven”–and notice!–“and to God the Judge of all” (Hebrews 12:18-23).
Here is the great basic theme of the whole of the Bible. I must listen to it because I am moving every day I live nearer and nearer to a final judgment. “God the Judge of all”!
A Thought to Ponder: Every day I move nearer and nearer to a final judgment.
(From The Kingdom of God, pp. 209-210, by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
_____________________________________________________________
Our Natural and Spiritual Bodies
“It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:43-44)
In this portion of this great chapter on the resurrection—first that of Christ, then the future resurrection of the redeemed—death and resurrection are compared to seed-sowing and harvest. When a seed is planted in the ground, it is as though it had died and is buried. For a long time after its “death,” the seed cannot be seen, but finally it rises again as a beautiful flowering plant, or sheaf of grain, or even a lovely tree.
Jesus made this same analogy. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24; note also Mark 4:26-29). Our human bodies, because of sin and the Curse, eventually die and are buried; but one day (like the planted seed) they will appear again, but now immortal and glorified, far greater than they were before—that is, of course, if their real inhabitants (their eternal created spirits) have been born again through faith in their already-resurrected Savior.
Our new spiritual bodies rising from the grave will be real physical bodies (like that of Jesus after He was raised) but will no longer be under bondage to gravitational and electromagnetic forces as at present, but only to spiritual forces of which we have as yet very little knowledge.
We do know, however, that our spiritual bodies will be “fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). Although “it doth not yet appear what we shall be….when he shall appear, we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2). Then in our glorious, powerful, spiritual bodies, we as “his servants shall serve him” in love and joy forever (Revelation 22:3).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
______________________________________________________________
Faith and Bible based ministry that encourages the faithfulness of the local church and their leaders to the LORD.
_______________________________________________________________
Please invite friends to visit our website: www.smallchurchministries.org or visit our Facebook page at Small Church Ministries with a Bible logo.. If they would like to receive the devotions via email – please have them send their address to me with “devotional” in the message box. Also, if you don’t receive the devotions because you have visited our website or some other source please sign up. The devotions normally go out each covering a chapter of the Bible each day. In three and a half years the entire Bible is covered. Thank you.
__________________________________________________________________
A heart is available, the clock is ticking, and doctors are forced to choose between three viable candidates for a transplant: A woman who could live for several more years with a new heart but doesn’t want it; a beloved middle-aged father who’s chronically overweight; and a young rich kid who might have just overdosed on cocaine but whose dad is dangling a $25 million donation to the hospital if his son gets the heart. All of this is in the plot of the new movie, “The God Committee.”
The team of doctors and nurses deciding who will live or die are given the nickname The God Committee. But this is a corrupt understanding of God, isn’t it? God doesn’t work from an algorithm. He doesn’t give good gifts like new hearts to those people who will be missed the most, and withhold them from people with bad attitudes or harmful habits, or who are kind of annoying. Nor does he play dice with the universe (no reference to Albert Einstein).
A Christian worldview of life and human value is not based on quantifiables such as how many people love a particular person, or how many years someone might go on to live. Every life is endowed by God with His image and likeness. Every life is equally valuable. Human value is not based on any extrinsic categories. It is intrinsic to each and every person, and God doesn’t make what He doesn’t mean to make. God created people to bear His image and likeness before the rest of the created order.
In “The God Committee,” doctors accuse each other of “playing God” and it is meant as an insult. But the Book of Genesis describes how within vitally important created and moral boundaries, God actually intended His people to play Him before the Creation. When Adam and Eve were commanded to be fruitful, to multiply, and to fill the earth and subdue it, they were told to do what God had just been doing. Throughout the first chapter of Genesis, God-filled and formed an earth described in the second verse as being empty and void. Now, His image-bearers are to carry on that work, ruling over the created order by filling it and subduing it. In fact, even after the Fall, that task continues, though now it is complicated by pain and by thorns.
The key distinction here is whether we play God as if God actually exists, or whether we play God as if we are God. Whenever we think it’s our authority that determines what’s right and what’s wrong, we’re playing God in the wrong way. This was the Enemy’s very first temptation for Adam and Eve. This was the temptation of the builders of Babel. This temptation continues today, especially as our technological abilities advance so far beyond our ethics. (The God Committee and Our Call to Play God by Break Point)
______________________________________________________________
By His Doing
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
In this one verse we find described four aspects of Christ’s work on our behalf. As we look at each one, let us first note that it is “of him,” literally “by his doing,” that we are in Christ Jesus, who “is made” or “who became” these things to us and for us.
Wisdom of God: This is the preferred rendering. Paul was writing to the church at Corinth (a Greek city). The Greeks were infatuated with wisdom, but Paul declared Christ Jesus to be the “wisdom of God.” Such wisdom is likewise imparted to believers (v. 24), while “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (v. 25).
Righteousness: Christ, being “made” righteousness, becomes an all-sufficient righteousness to us. This imputed rightness before God gives us a new standing before Him, permitting us access to Him, peace with Him, and ultimate glory with Him.
Sanctification: In Christ, we not only have this righteous standing, we are assured of a holy state as well. Through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we know that our lives will be constantly molded into Christ-likeness.
Redemption: Christ is made redemption for us, and in its fullest definition, this is His final goal. Through His redemptive work, we have been completely delivered from the power of sin and will one day be delivered from the presence of sin.
The introductory phrase “of him” or “by his doing” is emphatic in the Greek text. When we see what He has done, we realize just how helpless we were and how strongly He has acted on our behalf. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (v. 31). (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
___________________________________________________________________
Short End of the Stick
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. PROVERBS 13:12
We all come into marriage with a full yardstick of expectations—what love looks like, what our roles will be, what we’ll do on weekends, where we’ll go for Christmas. But over the years, that yardstick starts getting snapped off an inch or two at a time, until we’re left holding something a whole lot shorter than what we brought with us.
This leads to what I call the Unmet Expectation Syndrome. And every time it happens, the natural reaction is to go from disappointment to hurt to anger and finally to punishment—making your spouse pay for not living up to your expectations.
Here are four better ways to deal with these unmet expectations:
1. Love and forgive. Because you vowed before God to remain committed to each other, you must both own up to your failures and responsibilities. Your marriage will never outgrow its need for massive doses of forgiveness.
2. Communicate and seek to understand each other. Expectations must be managed, and the best way to do that is to keep the communication lines open. Clarify your needs and expectations. Don’t leave each other guessing.
3. Develop God’s perspective. Your spouse will never be able to meet the needs in your life that can only be met by God alone. Let Him be your sufficiency.
4. Don’t throw away the yardstick. Don’t give up on your dreams. Even though expectations sometimes tend to be out of step with reality, God doesn’t want you to live with just a few inches of the yardstick. Keep high hopes and expectations in your marriage, work toward them in a healthy way, and give thanks to God as He fulfills your true and deepest desires . . .both through Him and through each other. (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
_______________________________________________________________
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.